Don’t hold a grievance against anybody, even if they’re wicked, because otherwise your prayer won’t be heard by God. Defeat evil with good! Remain a sheep, and with the power of Christ you’ll overcome the wolves.

Believe that the Son of God, the Word before the ages, begotten from the Father apart from time and without body, has in the last days also become for you Son of a human being, coming forth from the Virgin Mary ineffably and in an undefiled manner… He is a whole human being, and is also God… that salvation may be granted to the whole of you, destroying the whole condemnation of sin. He is …

It befalls to the spiritual leader not to give way to self-pride by the fact of his leadership, or else he would shift himself from the blessing of the saints to the rule of Satan. He has to keep in mind that caring for the group comes up to enslave himself for them in the same way as serving the wounded ones and cleaning their infected wounds. He has to search for the appropriate remedy …

The Creator of mankind prefers men to count over their sins to Him rather than their good works. For God is a physician, who comes up to the bed on which each one of us is lying, and asks: “Where is the pain?” The man who makes use of the physician’s presence to tell him about all his pain and weakness is wise, and the man who, concealing his pain, boasts of his health to …

Live as members of one body, as children of God, in love, harmony, tranquility and above all in peace, esteeming one another, being indulgent to one another, as the Lord is indulgent to us. Do not be proud, do not envy, do not bear ill will, do not be slothful in prayer, begin and end the day with fervent prayer to God, to the Virgin Mary and the Saints and pray for all as yourself, …

Speak well of those who speak evil of you. Pay good for evil. Pray for those who cause you various offenses, wrongs, temptations, persecutions. Whatever you do, on no account condemn anyone; do not even try to judge whether a person is good or bad, but keep your eyes on that one evil person for whom you must give an account before God–yourself. — St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, The Arena

For God commands us to be peacemakers, and in agreement, and of one mind in His house; and such as He makes us by a second birth, such He wishes us when newborn to continue, that we who have begun to be sons of God may abide in God’s peace, and that, having one spirit, we should also have one heart and one mind. Thus God does not receive the sacrifice of a person who …